Poetic forms

*Lira*
Five line Spanish form with syllable counts: 7, 11, 7, 7, 11 and rhyme scheme of ababb.

Lira

Five line Spanish form with syllable counts: 7, 11, 7, 7, 11 and rhyme scheme of ababb.

Redondilla

Four lines of eight syllables, rhymed abba

Rubai

Four lines of ten syllables, rhymed aaba. Also known as the Omar Khayyam quatrain or Rubaiyat Stanza.

Sheshire

A poem based on six-line verses with a closing couplet. Here are Chuck’s rules:
1. The Sheshire is comprised of three stanzas of 6 lines with a rhyme scheme of either ABABAB or ABCABC. This is completed by a short fourth verse that is a rhymed couplet.
2. Each line has the same number of syllables. The one exception to this being the last line, which may have up to six additional syllables. The additional syllables must be in a phrase that is set aside (by parentheses or dashes, for example). If this aside is removed, the correct syllable count would be there and the line would remain a reasonable sentence.
3. Each stanza should have a shift in tone. The ending couplet should leave the reader (or at least the poet) with a grin. It can be a darkly ironic grin, but a grin, nonetheless.
The derivation is from the Hebrew words shesh and shir or shira meaning six poem. It is also a play on the Cheshire grin the poet is left wearing.
This form was captured in the wild, catalogued and named by Charles David Lipsig of Florida.

Sonondilla

A sonnet that uses redondilla as a base. Each line is eight syllables and has the rhyme scheme abbacddceeffee or abbaabbaccddcc. It is also known as the Redondilla sonnet, the Napoleonic sonnet, or the Sardine. (Don’t ask. You don’t really want to know!)

Ghazal

Ghazal (pronounced, ghuzzle, apparently). It’s over 1000 years old, possibly originated in what is now Iran and is used a lot in India.
The Ghazal has the following rules.
1. It is made up of 5 to 15 couplets.
2. Each couplet must be a poem unto itself.
3. Traditionally, the first couplet should rhyme.
4. Traditionally, the rest of the couplets should have the second line rhyming with the first couplet. There can also be a refrain with each of the rhyme words.
5. Each line must have the same rhythm.
6. The last couplet is often the poet’s “signature,” referring to their state of mind or some aspect of themselves in connection of the poem.
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